Sept. 18-19, 2009--The Values
Voter Summit 2009 drew about 1,800 registrants to the Omni Shoreham
Hotel. This was the second
major conservative gathering in a week, following up on the Sept.
12 Taxpayer March on Washington. Eight months into the Obama
administration, many of the
speakers forsaw a conservative comeback.

Tony Perkins,
president of the Family Research Council (a lead sponsor), said
enthusiasm was much greater than at last year's summit.

Five 2012 presidential prospects
appeared. Rep. Mike Pence (R-IN),
former Gov. Mike Huckabee (R-AR), Gov. Tim Pawlenty (R-MN) and former
Gov. Mitt Romney (R-MA) addressed the summit, while former Sen. Rick
Santorum (R-PA) spoke at a
closed event. Slightly fewer than 600 people participated in the
straw poll; Huckabee won with about 28.5% and Romney, Palin, Pawlenty
and Pence were closely grouped around 12%.